SECTION 14
"Sanjaya said, 'Srutakarman then, O king, filled with wrath, struck that
lord of Earth, viz., Citrasena, in that battle, with fifty shafts. The
ruler of the Abhisars (in return), striking Srutakarman, O king, with
nine straight arrows, pierced his driver with five. Srutakarman then,
filled with rage, struck Citrasena at the head of his forces, with a keen
arrow in a vital part. Deeply pierced, O monarch, with that arrow by that
high-souled prince the heroic Citrasena felt great pain and swooned away.
During this interval, Srutakarman of great renown covered that lord of
Earth, (viz., his insensible antagonist), with ninety arrows. The mighty
car-warrior Citrasena then, recovering consciousness, cut off his
antagonist's bow with a broad-headed arrow, and pierced his antagonist
himself with seven arrows. Taking up another bow that was decked with
gold, and capable of striking hard, Srutakarman then, with his waves of
arrows, made Citrasena assume a wonderful appearance. Adorned with those
arrows, the youthful king, wearing beautiful garlands, looked in that
battle like a well-adorned youth in the midst of an assembly. Quickly
piercing Srutakarman with an arrow in the centre of the chest, he said
unto him, "Wait, Wait!" Srutakarman also, pierced with that arrow in the
battle, began to shed blood, like a mountain shedding streams of liquid
red chalk. Bathed in blood and dyed therewith, that hero shone in battle
like a flowering Kinsuka. Srutakarman, then, O king, thus assailed by the
foe, became filled with rage, and cut in twain the foe-resisting bow of
Citrasena. The latter's bow having been cut off, Srutakarman then, O
king, pierced him with three hundred arrows equipped with goodly wings,
covering him completely therewith. With another broad-headed arrow,
sharp-edged and keen pointed, he cut off the head, decked with head-gear
of his high-souled antagonist. That blazing head of Citrasena fell down
on the ground, like the moon loosened from the firmament upon the Earth
at will. Beholding the king slain, the troops of Citrasena, O sire,
rushed impetuously against (his slayer). That great bowman then, filled
with rage, rushed, shooting his shafts, against that army, like Yama
filled with fury, against all creatures at the time of the universal
dissolution. Slaughtered in that battle by your grandson armed with the
bow, they quickly fled on all sides like elephants scorched by a
forestconflagration. Beholding them flying away, hopeless of vanquishing
the foe, Srutakarman, pursuing them with his keen arrows, looked
exceedingly resplendent (on his car). Then Prativindhya, piercing Citra
with five arrows, struck his driver with three and his standard with one.
Him Citra pierced, striking in the arms and the chest, with nine
broad-headed shafts equipped with wings of gold, having keen points, and
plumed with Kanka and peacock feathers. Then Prativindhya, O Bharata,
cutting off with his shafts the bow of his antagonist deeply struck the
latter with five keen arrows. Then Citra, O monarch, sped at your grandson
a terrible and irresistible dart, adorned with golden bells, and
resembling a flame of fire. Prativindhya, however, in that battle, cut
off, with the greatest ease, into three fragments, that dart as it
coursed towards him like a flashing meteor. Cut off into three fragments,
with Prativindhya's shafts, that dart fell down, like the thunderbolt
inspiring all creatures with fear at the end of the Yuga. Beholding that
dart baffled, Citra, taking up a huge mace decked with a net-work of
gold, hurled it at Prativindhya. That mace slew the latter's steeds and
driver also in that great battle, and crushing, besides, his car, fell
with great impetuosity on the Earth. Meanwhile, having alighted from his
car, O Bharata, Prativindhya hurled at Citra a dart, well-adorned and
equipped with a golden staff. Catching it as it coursed towards him, the
high-souled king Citra, O Bharata, hurled the very weapon at
Prativindhya. Striking the brave Prativindhya in that battle, that
blazing dart, piercing through his right arm, fell down on the Earth, and
falling illumined the whole region like a blast of lightning. Then
Prativindhya, O king, filled with rage, and desiring to compass the
destruction of Citra, sped at him a lance decked with gold. That lance
penetrating through his armour and chest, entered the Earth like a mighty
snake in its hole. Struck with that lance, the king fell down, stretching
out his large and massive arms that resembled a couple of iron clubs.
Beholding Citra slain, your warriors, those ornaments of battle, rushed
impetuously at Prativindhya from all sides. Shooting diverse kinds of
shafts and Sataghnis decked with rows of bells, they soon covered
Prativindhya like masses of clouds covering the Sun. The mighty-armed
Prativindhya, consuming with his arrowy showers those assailants of his
in that battle, routed your army like the thunder-wielding Sakra routing
the Asura host. Thus slaughtered in battle by the Pandavas, your troops, O
king, suddenly dispersed in all directions like congregated masses of
clouds dispersed by the wind. While your army, slaughtered on all sides,
was thus flying away, only Drona's son singly rushed with speed against
the mighty Bhimasena. All at once a fierce encounter ensued between them
like to what had taken place between Vritra and Vasava in the battle
between the gods and the Asuras (of old).'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 8 : UPA-PARVA 14 ---------------------
